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Top Stories of 2022: Single Best High School Season in History

January 6, 2023
Brandon Hall
Mid-Atlantic Scouting Director

Following high school baseball in North Carolina, we all know, there are a ton of great stories, players, and teams to follow each year.  As we continue to look back at 2022, we will take a look at some of the great stories of the year.  Today’s look back features a a player that was looking to repeat as a state champion and may have had the best high school season in the history of the state on the way.

 


The state of North Carolina has seen a ton of good players and big seasons.  In my time in the state, I flashback to the mid-1990’s when New Hanover HS was a machine rolling out high end prospects year and year, including Shawn Gallagher who set national records for home runs in consecutive at-bats as well as hits in a career and a hitting streak.  Prior to Gallagher, prospects like Brien Taylor, a Yankees 1st Round prodigy prior to a hometown fight derailed his career, garnered national attention out of high school. 


As we travel throughout the state, one of my favorite pastimes is to listen to coaches and scouts that have been around the state longer than myself, and hear them talk about players that had great amateur careers.  While it can be debated, and it probably will for years to come, there is a case to be made that Randleman HS Catcher Brooks Brannon had the greatest single season of any high school baseball player in North Carolina history.


Brannon, a 2022 graduate that was committed to North Carolina, played for a state title with Randleman as a Freshman.  In his COVID shortened SO year, the Tigers were again a favorite to make a state championship series.  His JR year and then in 2022, Brannon was a big part of the back-to-back state championship teams at Randleman.  


Brannon entered the 2022 year as a high profile prospect, earning an invite to the prestigious PBR Super 60 in Chicago in early February.  Already on the radar of MLB Scouts, Brannon’s performance at the Super 60 moved him up the board, showing good barrel feel and explosive power off the bat.  On top of the offensive performance, Brannon handled the top arms in the country with a unique energy, simply enjoying the moment to work with other high end athletes.




The next weekend, Brannon repeated the performance from the national event for a lot of the MLB Scouts that have coverage in North Carolina at the PBR NC ProCase.  A couple of weeks later Randleman and Providence HS squared off in a scrimmage that drew a lot of attention due to the number of draft follows on the field from the two programs. For Brannon and the Tigers of Randleman, the attention would follow throughout the spring as Brannon began to put up just incredible numbers.


The depth in the Randleman lineup forced opposing teams to attack Brannon throughout the spring.  Brannon rewarded opposing teams by putting up just insane numbers.  His 91 RBIs, 20 HRs, and 70 Hits all stand atop of the North Carolina history books for single season success.  The RBI record was demolished as Brannon’s 91 RBIs was 29 better than the record set in 2018.  His State Championship performance solidified the single season hits record, giving him 5 more than Shawn Gallagher had in 1995.  The 20 HRs tied a mark set in 1989 by Brannon’s father, Paul Brannon.  In 34 games, he hit .609/.644/1.331 adding 17 doubles and two triples to the homerun and RBI totals..


Brannon’s all-around performance, as well as the impact he has had on Randleman HS, in their championship season, has earned him the 2022 Prep Baseball Report North Carolina Player of the Year honors as well as 2022 All-PBR 1st Team Catcher (All-American).

 

Brannon was rewarded for his season, and all of his hard work, during the MLB Draft. The Boston Red Sox took Brannon in the 9th round with pick number 279. In his 1st summer in professional baseball, Brannon quickly flew up the prospect boards, as he continued to put up a high average with power showing at the pro level.



 



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Brooks Brannon

Class of 2022 / C

Rankings  StateRank: 8 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 65 / POS: 6

Player Information

  • Graduating Class: 2022
  • Primary Position: C
    Secondary Position: OF
  • High School: Randleman
    State: NC
  • Summer Team: 5 Star National
  • Height: 6-0
    Weight: 215lbs
  • Bat/Throw: R/R

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